Big match focus – UCC vs Cork C of I

UCC won’t have much time to lick their wounds after Tuesday’s gut-wrenching intervarsity defeat to UCD, as they go straight back into Munster league action with a crucial early-season six-pointer against Cork Church of Ireland at Garryduff on Saturday morning (10am). While leagues are, of course, never won before Christmas, if College have genuine aspirations of breaking the dominance of Quins and C of I, these are the games they must start to win, and they will be keen to lay down a marker. They fared exceptionally well against Quins last term, taking four points off them in two games and becoming the first team to beat them in domestic competition in eight years in the process.

But their failure to win any of their three clashes with C of I last term effectively ruined their season; the 1-0 and 2-1 league losses essentially cost them an automatic Irish Hockey League place, while the golden goal Munster Senior Cup final loss hurt even more. C of I can therefore be guaranteed a highly-charged contest, especially so given College will be looking to blow off some steam after the varsities. As well as suffering at the hands of their other bogey team, UCD, the varsities proved to be a chastening experience physically too, with a number of players suffering injuries. But College aren’t the only ones with plenty of motivation for this encounter. C of I exorcised some of the demons of their 2-0 league loss to Quins earlier this month by defeating Randalstown in the IHL, but the Garryduff girls have been kicking their heels for two weeks since. They will also be keen to make a statement of their own – namely that there isn’t about to be a changing of the guard at the business end of Munster hockey. Both sides still have worries on the goalscoring front, however. While 11 goals in six varsity games seems like a decent return for College, UCD were far more prolific – 23 goals scored, and, remarkably, none conceded. That ruthlessness earned them a straightforward semi-final against Trinity, while College needed extra-time to see off Ulster Elks 3-2, and those exertions can’t have helped their cause in the final later that day. Given the goalscoring potential in the team – Audrey O’Flynn, Eibhlin O’Donoghue and Ali O’Connor all present threats at short corner time, while Ali O’Regan, Julia O’Halloran and Aine Connery have proven records from play – it’s a mystery as to why they still haven’t fully unlocked it. C of I’s problem is of a different nature; they have little difficulty troubling the scoreboard against the weaker teams – witness the 12 goals racked up against Ashton and Belvedere – but the goals dry up when they are presented with capable opposition. Quins ruthlessly exposed this weakness a few weeks ago, their clinical finishing a total contrast to C of I’s inefficiency up front. It was the same story against Randalstown, as countless opportunities went begging due to wasteful finishing or a poor final pass, until Mel Ryan eventually made one count from a corner. They will be hoping the passes start to stick this weekend.

A further intriguing sub-plot should unfold in midfield, where young pretender Hollie Moffett goes head-to-head with relative veteran Deirdre Casey. The latter bounced back from a difficult afternoon against Rachael Kohler by showing her class against Randalstown, making intelligent use of the auto-pass rule and producing surging runs that the northerners found hard to handle. Moffett’s brief is slightly different however; she acts as a fulcrum to release Connery and O’Halloran into space, and is admirably effective when facing her own goal, demanding the ball from her defence before turning and finding the right pass to get her team moving. A similarly contrasting dynamic exists in the style of College’s O’Donoghue and C of I skipper Sandra Hackett, ensuring the battleground between the 25s should be worth the admission alone. It will also be interesting to see what role C of I coach Phil Oakley hands Grace Young. Noted for her own rampages along the wings, her pace may be an effective method of shackling Connery, who also has a fondness for patrolling the touchlines. There was never more than a goal between these two last year, and that’s not likely to change this weekend; it may come down to who wants it more. That would suggest a College victory, but C of I have the upper hand psychologically; it’s too tight to call, so let’s sit back and watch the fireworks instead.